Managed Print Services and How It Helps Businesses

Paperwork is still a significant part of most business processes despite the spirited efforts by players in the corporate world to go digital. Paperless procedures may be the future, but printing remains an important function in every company. Whether you need to produce a business proposal for that new project or print out payslips for your employees, you don’t want to compromise the productivity of your business. Having all your print needs handled by professionals eliminates this risk through the provision of managed print services.

Managed print services refer to the programs offered by external print management providers to handle and manage all printing needs and document output of a company. These services include assessment of a company’s printing needs and provision as well as replacement of printing equipment and supplies like printers, copiers, toners and faxes. It also involves tracking how printing equipment is being used and ensuring client satisfaction through constant maintenance.

Outsourcing for your printing solutions and document management may seem unnecessary, or you may be unsure about what your business stands to gain from it. The following are ways in which managed print services help businesses achieve their goals.

1.Cost cutting

Every business aims to minimize their expenses while maximizing profit. Managed print solutions help businesses cut their costs by providing cost-effective devices that meet the company’s needs. Print management providers take advantage of their networks to source for equipment with up to date technology at competitive prices. This reduces the expenditure caused by costly procurement of machines and downtime due to malfunctioning of outdated equipment.
Most businesses are not aware of how much they spend on office printing. Managed print services enable businesses to track their spending in office printing thus giving them control over their finances. By cutting down paperwork through digitised document management, businesses can reduce their printing costs and increase their savings.

2.Employee training

When a business acquires new printing tools or employees, it may be forced to hire trainers to conduct employee training on how to use the equipment. The cost of hiring trainers every time this happens may cause a company financial inconveniences.
Providers of managed print services, however, offer customer education and free training to its clients for as long as the clients use their services and machines. By doing this, it improves efficiency and minimizes the shortcomings that may arise due to ignorance. The contract that a business sign with the print management providers covers employee training at no extra costs.

3.Reduction of carbon footprints

Carbon footprints refer to the amount of carbon dioxide emitted as a result of a company’s activities. In a bid to conserve the environment and promote sustainability, managed print services aim at reducing paper waste and energy consumption. It helps businesses go green by providing energy-efficient equipment and reducing paper waste which minimises negative environmental impact from a company’s printing activities.
Providers of printing solutions understand the need for recycling wastes that result from printing activities for example paper waste and toner cartridges. They partner with recycling companies to help their clients dispose of wastes in an environmentally friendly manner.

4.Assessment of a company’s printing needs

Every business has unique printing needs, what works for one may not work for another. Print management involves the assessment of a company’s technological environment and providing customised solutions for its printing needs
Managed print services analyzes the digital environment of a company and the cost of usage of its equipment, then proceeds to provide suitable solutions in line with the needs of the business. They also help businesses optimize printing equipment and reduce its printing fleet through consolidation.
Continuous analysis of printing costs and usage of printing equipment enables a business to keep track of its printing expenses and eliminate unnecessary procedures that affect the workflow of a business.

5.Document security

Where a lot of paperwork is involved, documents are bound to get lost. Managed print services reduce paperwork through electronic processing of documents hence removing the possibility of them getting misplaced. Documents are also kept safe through digital back up and cloud storage.
External print solutions also enable businesses to offer remote access to their employees which enables them to work from anywhere. Employees, therefore, do not need to be at a specific place to process their documents.

Conclusion

Technology plays a major role in determining productivity and sustainability of a business. Managed printing services not only reduce your costs but. They also improve efficiency, quality of production, return on investment and helps reduce the effects of industrialization on the environment.